3 Introduction The mystery of sleep It s where our brains travel to every night, it s out of our voluntary control, and we often complain that we don t get enough of it. Sleep is the mysterious shift in consciousness that our bodies require every day. It s vital for our health and wellbeing but its importance goes far beyond that, sleep is something that we can t live without. Not only do we function worse when we don t get enough quality sleep, but it can lead to long-term health problems. That s why if we re having sleep problems it s important we do all that we can to rectify these difficulties and restore quality sleep into our lifestyles. How are we sleeping? If you re experiencing sleep problems, you re not alone. A 2012 survey by Premier Inn found that money worries are keeping 37% of us awake at night, a 2011 survey by IKEA and Which? Found that 7 in 10 feel they aren t getting enough sleep, and the NHS spends over 50 million on sleeping pills alone (The Independent, 2012). But there s no need to suffer in silence if you are experiencing sleeping difficulties, there is plenty that you can do to restore quality sleep into your life. What happens when we sleep? The Sleep Cycle During sleep our heart rate drops, our body temperature falls and we experience complex changes in brain activity. An EEG (electroencephalogram) gives us an insight into the brains electrical activity when we sleep: When we first fall asleep we enter non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep. NREM is divided into three stages: NREM1 NREM2 and NREM3, each stage becoming progressively deeper. Stages 1 and 2 are light stages of sleep from which we can be easily roused Stage 3 is a deeper stage of sleep from which we re more difficult to rouse, and some may feel disorientated if woken from this stage of sleep Generally, after going through the NREM stages, we enter stage 4 which is known as rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, which the EEG shows as being similar to wakefulness or drowsiness. It is during the REM stage of sleep that we dream. Each cycle lasts around 1½ hours and we need to experience all four stages in order to wake up rested A good night s sleep consists of five or six cycles, whereas disturbed sleep consists of far fewer 4 5

4 What controls sleep? Sleep is largely controlled by sleep pressure, and the circadian rhythm, or our body clock, which is a 24 hour cycle that regulates all our biological and physiological processes. It anticipates environmental changes around us so that our bodies can adapt to them. In ideal situations, the circadian rhythm will naturally rise in the early morning, promoting wakefulness and alertness, and will reach a peak in the evening. After a waking period of around 15 hours the pressure to sleep becomes greater and greater, in other words, we get tired. With the onset of darkness, the circadian rhythm drops to the lowest level and helps to maintain sleep. Our body clocks may be disrupted in a number of ways. For example, when you travel to a different time zone your body clock will be out of sync for a while as it experiences a different time for daylight and darkness to what it s used to something we commonly know as jet lag. Also shift work disrupts your body clock by making you stay awake when it s dark and your body is saying go to sleep, sleeping in daylight you re your body wants to be awake. Constant disruption of your body clock or circadian rhythm through night shift work and frequent travelling across time zones can detrimentally affect your health, and has been linked to obesity, type 2 diabetes, depression, peptic ulcers, heart disease and cancer. Certain body chemicals have an effect on our sleep patterns, including: growth hormone releasing hormone (GHRH), growth hormone, prolactin, and adenosine, which all cause sleepiness as levels build. However the most important brain chemical that is associated with sleep is melatonin a hormone which is produced by the pineal gland. As daylight fades and night falls, levels of melatonin increase, giving the body the signal that it s time to sleep. It is produced in the body from protein foods, and is fundamental to achieving good sleep and feeling rested and refreshed. We ll look at melatonin in depth in step 4. Sleep and your health As mentioned, lack of sleep can contribute towards many health problems, and this has been shown in studies involving night-shift workers. In the Harvard Medical School Nurses Study, which involved 78,000 nurses, it was found that those nurses who worked the night-shift for thirty years or more had a 36% increased risk of breast cancer than their dayshift colleagues. And in 2009 the Danish government began paying compensation to women who developed breast cancer after working night-shifts. The risks for heart disease and type 2 diabetes are also high, and there s a growing body of evidence showing that poor sleep patterns are directly linked to overweight and obesity. There are a number of reasons for this, including low serotonin and consequently melatonin levels (more about these chemicals in step 4), which make you more likely to eat more sugary foods and refined carbohydrates because these foods increase levels of serotonin. Lack of sleep has also been shown to increase levels of the hunger hormone ghrelin, that stimulates appetite and makes us feel hungry, and it decreases levels of the satiety hormone leptin, which gives us that satisfied feeling after eating that prompts us to stop eating. Furthermore being tired in itself can also lead to overeating because sometimes we eat in the belief that we need food to supply the energy we lack. 6 7

5 How much sleep do you need? On average most adults seem to need around 7-8 hours sleep per night though this can vary from person to person. As we grow older our sleep patterns change and as we go through our life stages we tend to get less and less sleep. Older adults tend to sleep less, not because they need less sleep, but because we re more likely to experience disturbed sleep as we grow older. On average New-born babies sleep up to hours per day 3-5 year olds sleep hours per day Pre-teens need 11 hours Teenagers need 9-11 hours On average women are more likely to experience insomnia and sleep disturbances than men. What is insomnia? Insomnia is simply being awake when you want to be asleep. It can be defined as the following occurring three or more times per week on a regular basis: Taking more than 30 minutes to fall asleep despite being tired known as Sleep Latency Insomnia or Onset Insomnia Waking up frequently during the night and not getting back to sleep easily known as Sleep Interruption Insomnia, Sleep Maintenance Insomnia or Middle Insomnia Waking up in the early hours and finding it difficult to get back to sleep known as Terminal Insomnia And in addition: Relying on sleeping pills or alcohol to fall asleep Waking up feeling tired and un-rested from the night s sleep All of the above can result in daytime drowsiness, fatigue, or irritability Don t be too bothered by interrupted sleep Often we perceive a good night s sleep to be seven or eight hours of uninterrupted sleep, waking in the morning refreshed, rested, and ready to face the day. However there s a growing body of evidence, from recent study and historical evidence, that shows that it can be perfectly natural to sleep for around four hours, wake for an hour or two, then go back to sleep. Historian Roger Ekirch published numerous papers and a book called At Night s Close, drawn from 16 years of research, in which he revealed a wealth of evidence that we used to sleep in two distinct chunks: a first sleep which began about two hours after dusk, followed by waking period of one or two hours and then a second sleep. During the gap, we would get up, use the toilet, visit neighbours, read, pray or make love. Many sleeping problems may have their roots in the human body s natural preference for segmented sleep, and this could be the linked to sleep interruption insomnia, where people wake during the night and have trouble getting back to sleep, or terminal insomnia, when they wake in the early hours and cannot get back to sleep. 8 9

6 So if we do wake during the night it s important that we don t become anxious, worried that we won t get back to sleep and will therefore suffer with tiredness and fatigue the next day. What we may be experiencing is a throwback to the bi-modal sleep pattern of ages past. So rather than seeing it as a problem, look upon it differently, don t panic, relax and you may soon drop off back to sleep. It s only a problem when it happens frequently and you fail to get back to sleep. Why can t you sleep? Sleeplessness is often something that creeps up on you. Sometimes you can pinpoint exactly when you first started to experience sleep disturbances, and sometimes you suddenly realise that the good nights sleep that you ve always taken for granted, is now elusive and disturbed sleep is now the norm. In order to pinpoint the problem and focus in on the right solution, it s important to try to find out why exactly you re not sleeping. Start by asking yourself these questions: Are there lights outside your bedroom that bring light into the room? Do you have a television or computer in your bedroom? Have you had the same bed for over 10 years? Yes If yes, see Step: Is your sleep environment noisy? 1,2 Are you feeling under a lot of stress? 3 Are you worried or concerned about an emotional issue? Are you worried or concerned about finances? Are you worried or concerned about any other issue? Do you drink coffee, fizzy drinks or energy drinks? , 6 Are you very overweight or obese? 4,5 Are you menopausal or peri-menopausal? 7 Are you pregnant? 7 Are you in your forties or above? 7 Are you a teenager?

7 Other reasons for suffering from insomnia for which you may have to see a doctor or medical professional (although following steps 1, 2, 4, 5, and 6 may also help): Suffering from chronic pain Suffering from respiratory diseases Suffering from sleep disorders such as narcolepsy, sleep apnoea, restless leg syndrome Some of these medicines can cause sleep problems DO NOT stop taking them but go to your GP for advice or visit your pharmacy and see the pharmacist for a medicines review perhaps you can be recommended alternatives. Once you ve come closer to identifying the possible reasons for your difficulties in sleeping, you can try incorporating the suggestions in this book into your lifestyle, as well as paying particular attention to the issue that may be most relevant to you. Suffering from a hormone disorder Suffering from bruxism (grinding of teeth) Suffering from heart disease Suffering from neurological disease such as Parkinson s disease Suffering from other medical disorders or illnesses Taking certain prescribed medications including medicines for: High blood pressure and hypertension Asthma Pain relief Depression Epilepsy Inflammation (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) ADHD 12 13

8 1. Your bedroom If you re having difficulty sleeping one of the first things to look at is your bedroom. You need the right environment to get a good night s sleep and that means a bedroom that s pleasant, inviting and welcoming. Keep it dark One of the most important features of your bedroom that s conducive to a good night s sleep is that it should be dark. This is because the allimportant sleep-inducing hormone melatonin is extremely light-sensitive, and may not be produced optimally unless it s completely dark. City dwellers in particular have become accustomed to light pollution, and are often unaware that health issues can arise from bright lights inside and outside the home late at night. Electric lights have contributed to disrupting the body clock as bright lights signal to the brain that it s time for wakefulness and activity. Even the smallest amount of light in your bedroom whilst you re trying to sleep can have an adverse effect on the ability of the pineal gland to produce melatonin, causing difficulty sleeping. One way to discover if there s too much light in your bedroom is to perform a simple light audit: 1. Turn out all the lights in your bedroom at night 2. Allow your eyes to adjust for a few minutes 3. Check to see if you can identify objects and check for light leaks

9 If you can identify objects and see light streaming in from an outside source, you ll need to light proof your room. You can do this by applying blackout lining to your curtains to keep out light from outside, and avoiding all LED lights from electrical devices such as phones and clocks. If you keep your bedroom door open, switch off other lights in the house that may stream light into your room. Keep in mind that reducing the amount of light will help but it is better to try to eliminate it as much as possible. Another simple and much cheaper solution is to purchase a high quality sleep mask. A good quality sleep mask is light and comfortable and yet thick enough in the front panel to block out all light. A small flap of material at the bottom of the mask around that area of the nose is also necessary to block out light. The sleep mask may fall off at night (remember you are only paralyzed during REM sleep) if you do have a snug fit at the back with either an overlapping straps that secure with Velcro tabs or a double elastic band. When purchasing a sleep mask check for these simple attributes and then put it on in the store to ensure that it is comfortable. If you have to get up during the night, try not to turn on the light. The reason is that even a small amount of light can be enough to suppress the melatonin production for that night. Blue wavelength light in the light spectrum of household bulbs, is the light that specifically suppresses melatonin. This makes sense in light of the fact that during the day there is a lot of blue light, which basically tells the brain and the body that it s daytime. If you re worried about bumping into things if you do need to get up during the night, a solution is to use a red light bulb in a small night light that can be used to show you the door, landing or stairs if you have to get up during the night. Dr Russell Reiter, who has conducted research into light and melatonin production, recommends red light bulbs as they do not affect the production of melatonin but still enable you to see. The right temperature Temperature is also important when trying to get a good night s sleep, as a room that is too hot will prevent your core temperature from going down, which is essential for switching on the sleep mechanism. When you sleep, your body s temperature drops to its lowest level, which usually occurs around 3-4 hours after you fall asleep, so keeping your bedroom cool may lead to better sleep. If you can, and it is safe to do so, leave a window slightly open when you sleep so that air can circulate around the room. If you re on the ground floor, consider a security grill on the window. Try not to leave a heater or the central heating on as this can be dehydrating and wake you up. Instead go for a warmer duvet. A room that is too cold can also hinder sleep, and can be a danger for the very young or very old. It s a good idea to get a room thermometer to ensure the right temperature range in which to sleep. Ideally your bedroom should be around degrees Celsius. Keep your extremities warm Although your bedroom should be cool to induce restful sleep, your hands and feet shouldn t be. Thermoregulation is the body s heat distribution system, and lying down redistributes heat to the extremities, ie your hands and feet. Studies have found that cold hands and feet are associated with sleeplessness. If you find that you suffer from cold feet, increase the temperature of your cold feet by using a hot water bottle, rather than bed socks

10 Clear clutter To optimise good sleep your room should be tidy, clean and free from clutter. Clutter is a great energy drainer. You know it s there, even though you might ignore it, and it takes up room. It s a reminder of your inadequacy in dealing with it and it looks ugly. Clearing clutter adds organisation, and being organised is good for achieving peace of mind, which aids restful sleep. Regular vacuuming and damp dusting may seem a chore, but night time asthma and allergies spoil many a good night s sleep. Also clutter doesn t have to be material; it can also be the stuff you carry around in your head, either worrying about something or negative thoughts concerning yourself or others. Plants in the room can also help with air quality, and contrary to popular myth, they will not give out harmful amounts of carbon dioxide, in fact the amount of carbon dioxide gas your plant produces during the night is extremely small and will cause no harm. Get rid of the gadgets It s important that your bedroom is associated only with sleep and sex. That means moving the television, computer, work area, pile of books and magazines, and anything else that may distract you from sleep. A radio is fine for the morning, telling you the time and what the traffic s like etc, but try to keep it off at night time, where it engages your brain and activates the mind. There s also the danger that you may fall asleep with the radio on, and it may wake you up during the night whilst you re in one of the lighter sleep cycles. Use of electronic gadgets with a back-lit display such as computers, mobile phones, tablets and televisions, for two hours before bed have been found to cause a significant suppression of melatonin, causing sleep disturbances. The 2012 study from the Lighting Research Center (LRC) at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in New York, found that two hours of exposure caused a 22 percent suppression in melatonin production. They also found that teenagers are particularly susceptible. Drown out noise If you re unfortunate enough to live in a noisy area, ear plugs are a good idea. As is double or secondary glazing, which will help to block out noise. You can also get a machine or CD that plays white noise that can also block out exterior noises. Loudly ticking clocks should be put in a bedside drawer, and carpets can block noise if you live above a restaurant or bar. Your bed The foundation of good sleep is a comfortable bed. The right mattress can make the difference between a restorative night s sleep and poor quality sleep resulting in tiredness and fatigue. Lack of support from a mattress reinforces poor sleeping posture and can prevent you from getting a good nights sleep. If you sleep better in a hotel or other bed away from home, it may be time to change your bed. With the vast variety of beds on the market, choosing the right one can be difficult. Here are some tips to help you choose the best mattress for both support and comfort

11 Let value and quality rule over price: Hand-made mattresses with more coils, pocket springs, natural padding, and quality components will be higher quality and thus more expensive than others. Shop around, look for sales and offers, save up, but don t compromise on quality when looking for the right mattress. A mattress that provides both comfort and back support will help, allowing the structures in the spine to rest and rejuvenate during the night. A mattress that s too hard or too soft can be uncomfortable and cause sleep problems. Your mattress needs to be firm enough to support your body s weight, but must also conform to your body s contours. Try before you buy: When shopping for a mattress, you should lie on it for several minutes to decide if it s a good fit. If two people will be sleeping on the mattress, both should test it at the same time to make sure they have enough space and are both comfortable on the same style of mattress. Some of the better quality hand-made mattresses will make a mattress with two different levels of firmness. You move 40 to 60 times a night, so spend at least ten to 15 minutes on each mattress. If the mattress is too soft, you will take lots of effort rolling over; if it s too firm, your hips and shoulders will be uncomfortable. Know about the components of the mattress: The coils or inner springs of a mattress provide the support. Different mattresses vary in their number and arrangement of coils. The main types of mattress are natural fibre, pocket-sprung and memory foam. Natural fibres, such as horsehair, flax, wool, cotton and down are best if you get hot at night. Synthetic memory foam can become hot and may not absorb moisture efficiently so look for products that combat this if it s an issue. To maintain the best possible sleeping environment you should consider replacing a mattress in normal use after around 7-8 years. Innovations that help you sleep Smart Fibres Tests have shown that 24% of people are allergic to house dust mites (1), and research conducted by Allergy UK in 2011 found that 59% of allergy sufferers said that their symptoms are worse in the bedroom the likely cause of which is house dust mites. These microscopic creatures love mattresses because our bodies help create the moisture that they need to survive, and the average mattress can contain over three million house dust mites. They feed on dead skin, and their droppings dry out and become airborne, triggering a variety of symptoms such as runny noses, sneezing, wheezing, coughing, snoring and headaches, all of which can disturb sleep. They are also a serious irritant to those suffering from asthma. Reactions to the allergens found in house dust mite droppings increase during autumn and winter when windows are closed and central heating comes on, creating a breeding ground and further disturbing sleep. Apart from ensuring the bedroom gets plenty of fresh air and proper ventilation, look out for technological innovations which provide an effective defence against house dust mites and bed bugs, such as Smart Fibre technology. Smart Fibres include Purotex microcapsules which release probiotic friendly bacteria into the fabric of the mattress to reduce mould, moisture and house dust mite allergens, and Smart Fibres are also effective at reducing infestations of bed bugs. 1. Reference: Prof. Philippe Gevaert of Ghent University, tested 2320 randomly chosen people (using a skin prick test) for allergies and found that 24% had house dust mite allergy, more than those suffering a pollen allergy (23%)

12 Smart Fibre mattresses are recommended by Allergy UK, and other suggestions from Allergy UK to cut the number of mites living in your home include: Wash bedding once a week at 60 C or higher. Allergy UK s research revealed that 16% of people wash bed linen every three weeks or less, and 58% wash bedding at 30 or 40 degrees, enabling house dust mites to breed. Steam clean carpets and curtains at least twice a year Replace your mattress every 7-8 years Use allergen-proof barrier covers Bedding If you become either too hot or too cold during the night, you ll probably wake up, so it s important to check your bedding or duvet. The warmth or heaviness of a duvet is measured in togs the lower the tog the lighter and cooler the duvet, and the higher the tog, the heavier and warmer the duvet. You can buy all-season duvets which combine a lightweight and medium duvet that you can separate for the warmer months and join together for cold winter months. If you share a bed with a partner, consider having a duvet larger than the size of your bed, or even two separate duvets, especially if you have a preference for different levels of warmth. Probably as important to your comfort as tog, is the composition of your duvet. Natural materials such as cotton, wool and down will guarantee you a better nights sleep than polyester, nylon and other man-made fibres. You will pay a little more, however the investment will be worth it and they ll probably last longer. Your pillow should also be made of natural fibres so it doesn t become too hot and will absorb moisture. Summary Keep your room completely dark, if necessary use blackout curtains or an eye mask. Make sure your room isn t too hot or too cold, keep it slightly cool around C (60-65 F). Keep clutter out of your room put the laundry basket in the spare room, bathroom or the landing Avoid having a television or computer in the bedroom Turn off your mobile phone and anything with an LED display (including clocks). Don t treat your bedroom as an extension of your living room or a study. Use it for sleeping and sex only Adorn your bedroom with beautiful things such as photographs of loved ones, artwork that you like, plants and flowers. It will help you feel more connected to the room and look forward to going to bed Try to avoid bright colours such as reds which are less restful and quite stimulating, and less conducive to a good nights sleep. Use muted and pastel colours, which are a lot more calming. Some smells can affect your mood, making you more relaxed and calm. Sprinkle a pot pourri with essential oils of lavender or geranium, though never use during pregnancy or in children s rooms. Take a long hard look at your room and see what it says about you and understand that you have a duty to care for yourself, your sleep area and your general health and wellbeing you re worth it! 22 23

13 2. Your Lifestyle Our twenty first century lifestyles are fast-paced and full of stimulation. Often from the moment when we wake up and check our smart phones, life is fast paced and non-stop. We put on the radio or television to be given the news as it happens and when it happens, we check our s constantly throughout the day; we sit at our computers and/or watch television late into the evening. It barely stops and it can be difficult to switch off and wind down so it s small wonder that many of us have trouble sleeping. Until about 100 years ago, we worked hard physically, went to bed when it got dark and got up when it was light. In this way we went to bed unconfused by changes in our body clock, and physically rather than mentally exhausted. Our worries centred more on the health and lives of our families and putting food on the table rather than some of the more complex issues that keep us up. Often, when we should be winding down the brain is still active and stimulated so it becomes difficult to rest and relax. This can lead to lifestyle insomnia, where sleeping difficulties result from a full, busy and stressful lifestyle. We ll look at dealing with stress, emotional and financial pressures in the next chapter, but here we ll look at how you can change your lifestyle and habits to optimise good sleep. Outside of your bedroom there are other environmental factors that can be taken into account that may make a difference in the quality of sleep you enjoy

14 Innovations that help us sleep Low blue lights The importance of a dark bedroom is mentioned in the last chapter, however light intensity in the evenings is also important. The brightness of the lights in your bedroom and your home can have an effect on your sleep quality, as was found in a study that showed that the evening light we are exposed to in an indoor environment affects our biological clock and can disrupt sleep quality. Researchers at the Surrey Sleep Research Centre at the University of Surrey found that the ordinary, artificial indoor-light we are exposed to in the evening suppresses the rise of melatonin, making us feel less sleepy, and thus more inclined to delay bedtime. This is because most lights contain a high amount of blue light; however the researchers found that when they altered the colour of light, reducing blue light and increasing the red and yellow, the disruptive effects of the light were minimised. (Luc Schlangen, Nayantara Santhi, Derk-Jan Dijk, Journal of Pineal Research Nov. 2011). Their research follows the discovery of a blue-sensitive photoreceptor which specifically targets the body s circadian rhythm. It is now possible to buy low-blue light bulbs for the home, and glasses that can reduce blue light exposure from computer screens, tablets and smart phones which all contain high amounts of blue light which can impair our production of melatonin and disturb sleep. See Resources for stockists of low blue light bulbs and glasses. The researchers in the above study also found that reducing overall light intensity was also able to minimise the disruptive effects. So if you don t have them, try to fit dimmer switches to your lights and reduce light intensity in the hours before bedtime. You can also reduce light intensity by using low wattage bulbs, energy saver bulbs, and using lamps instead of ceiling lights. Bedtime Routine Bedtime routine is important and is frequently not taken seriously enough. Just as a child needs a routine to promote a good nights sleep, so do we. We might not require a bed time story, but we need to relax and unwind. That means reducing electronic and intellectual stimulation that keep the mind active and busy and just letting go. Don t go to bed too early or too late. If you are unable to fall asleep and find yourself lying in bed for more than 30 minutes, get up and go to another room. Keep the lights as dim as possible and don t do anything too stimulating. Try listening to soft music until you start to feel sleepy, then go back to bed. This will enforce the association between bed and sleep rather than bed and wakefulness. Also try to maintain a regular sleep pattern so try to avoid long lieins on your day off or at the weekend. This will help to enforce a routine. Try to determine what your optimal amount of sleep is. You may function at your best with nine hours sleep or six hours sleep. You can then regulate your bedtime in order to try to get the right amount of sleep for you. Avoid Alcohol Often that means a glass or three of wine, or some other alcoholic drink, but this can be counter-productive and actually make your sleeping difficulties worse. By all means enjoy a responsible and jolly social life but never use alcohol as a sleep aid. You may drop off but within an hour or so you will be padding to the loo and most likely have a nasty headache. Remember alcohol tends to knock you out like some medicines, and you won t get normal restorative sleep as a result

15 Avoid late night use of technology We mentioned the use of electronic equipment in the bedroom section, however there is increasing evidence that late-night use of mobile phones is more disruptive to sleep than watching television. Neuroscientist Dr Paul Howard-Jones of Bristol University found that staring at a small bright screen, especially under the covers when the lights are off, can disrupt the secretion of melatonin, which of course regulates our sleep cycle. And this disruption was stronger than watching television late at night. This can particularly affect teenagers who spend a lot of time texting on their mobile phones. Dr Howard-Jones also found that teenagers who text after lights out are four times more likely to experience daytime drowsiness, and has found studies that have linked playing video games, even early in the evening, with loss of sleep. Avoid napping Try to avoid day-time naps, especially if you are getting older take some gentle exercise and keep active you will sleep better and longer at night. Naps during the day often incorporate the deeper stage 3 sleep, which can result in more stage 1 and 2 sleep at night. This can be a problem because stage 1 and 2 sleep is lighter and you are more easily awoken. Try to restrict sleep to bed time only; the more tired you are the more likely you are to enjoy a restful sleep when you follow all the steps. Finally the toughest suggestion of all, however little you have slept, set your alarm and get up at the same time each day no lie-ins to compensate. A little sleep deprivation will soon get you back into a better sleep routine. Summary Reduce the intensity of light in your home in the evenings by using dimmer switches or lamps with low wattage bulbs Have a bedtime routine and maintain a regular sleep pattern Use a hot water bottle if you get cold feet Empty your bladder before going to bed Avoid alcohol Avoid use of technology in the hours before bedtime including computers, mobile phones and televisions Avoid napping during the day Top Tips You are in control of how you approach sleep, you need to understand its benefits and also learn the skill of good sleep. Many of the habits you had as a child will affect your sleep throughout life think back on when you had your best sleep and try to replicate the routine (as far as practical). If you slept badly as a child you may need to completely re-educate yourself back to good habits. Finally don t be concerned about HOW much sleep you get, measure your success by how alert and rested you feel during the day and can cope (or not) with day time activities

16 3. Stress and Worry Life today is stressful. Modern technology means that we pack more and more into our lives, going to and fro and barely stopping to rest and reflect. Pressures of work and the burden of responsibility often lead to a lack of civility in society and pressures bubble just below the surface. With so much going on in our lives it s little wonder that many of us have trouble switching off and getting a good night s rest at the end of the day. Worry is a thief and steals you of your joy. Basically, all of our worries come down to two things: that we won t get what we need, or that we ll lose what we ve got, and this keeps us awake at night. Some of the major problems that we may face in life can cause us emotional or mental tension that can lead to insomnia. Here we will outline some basic practical solutions for dealing with stress and worry, depression and financial uncertainty. Scientists have found a direct link between anxiety and rhythm of sleep. When a person has anxious thoughts, their heart rate goes up and in turn the mind starts to race. This causes the brain to become alert and stimulated and start producing beta waves. This happens to someone who worries about something when they re trying to get to sleep instead of being calm and subdued, their brains are too aroused to sleep. And to make matters worse, once their brain is stimulated in this way, other worries are activated, making sleep even harder to achieve. As a pattern sets in, sleep becomes a thing of anxiety

17 To overcome this various techniques can be used to stop these thoughts and calm the heart rate, cognitive behavioural therapy being one of them. This is a psychological treatment that helps people unlearn the thought processes that block a good night s sleep. One way to manage and slow your heart rate is to place your hand on your heart and quiet yourself so that you can hear it beating. Then breathe in deeply and slowly for three or four seconds, then breathe out for three or four seconds. Repeat this until you feel your heart rate slowing down. This will then slow the busy brain activity. A technique to stop the worrying thoughts that cause your heart to race in the first place is to speak positive thoughts instead. Speaking overrides thinking and will stop the negative thoughts in their tracks. To explain how to do this, start thinking the alphabet in your head. When you reach J start counting out loud. What happened to the alphabet? You stopped thinking it in your head because your speaking overrode your thoughts. Do this when you start worrying about something when you re trying to sleep. Instead of thinking the mortgage is due and I don t have the money to pay it, say aloud I don t know where it will come from but I ll need to get creative to find the money for the mortgage and I will find it. Instead of thinking my teenage daughter is going off the rails say aloud my teenager s a strong willed girl and she will succeed in whatever she does. Financial worries Financial worries have become a real and significant problem for many individuals, especially since the global economic crisis of 2008 and all its repercussions since then. Jobs have been lost, wage increases have been frozen, household disposable incomes have fallen, debt have increased, public services have been cut, and most of us have felt the pinch. Consumerism is at an all-time high and a tolerance of high levels of debt has replaced the tendency, or ability to save money. For some of us the monthly pile of bills and expenses exceeds the amount of income, leading to mounting debts and a threat to our homes and security. This can cause sleepless nights. The way that we handle these financial challenges can determine not only whether we can sleep through the night, but also how we can get through the difficulties we re experiencing. In a 2011 survey of 2000 adults who had sleeping difficulties, the top reason cited was money worries at 37%, and second on the list was work issues at 30%. We sleep better when we have the feeling that we re in control of our lives rather than at the mercy of circumstance, so it s necessary to take control and get creative. Speak softly in your partner s sleeping beside you, but speak over any negative thoughts. Soon you ll be able to override negative thoughts with positive thoughts, but until you do, speak them

18 If your worries are over financial matters, here are some practical tips on how to overcome them: 1. Open all bills and statements. It may be scary, but facing up to debt is the first step to getting on top of the situation and taking control. 2. Write down everything you spend in a diary or notebook. Unless you do this you can t tackle the problem effectively. Include everything and go through your bank statement to make sure you don t forget anything. Always get receipts so you can write things down when you get home. 3. Paying off debt is the biggest money saver because the more you pay off, the more cash you will save. If you can t clear balances, switch to a lower charging card. If you owe 2,500 on an average credit card you ll be paying 18.6 per cent in interest, yet charges could be cut to zero with a 0 per cent balance transfer deal. However you need to look closely at arrangement fees to ensure the savings add up. 4. Contact the National Debtline ( , nationaldebtline. co.uk) or Payplan ( payplan.com) to talk through your options and work out a repayment plan with your creditors. Payplan will write to inform all your creditors that you are seeking help and ask them to freeze interest and charges. Most lenders will agree based on recognition that your debt is unmanageable. Never pay for this service as organisations like Payplan offer it free. 5. Know the difference between a bargain and a promotion. Something that s half price because it expires today is a bargain. You can usually put it in the freezer for later. Buy two for 5 is not a bargain but a sales promotion designed to make you spend more. If you regularly take up such offers, make sure that you use what you ve bought otherwise you re not buying what you need but what you re being sold. 6. Refusing to accept the renewal quote for insurance can also mean savings. Homeowners, for instance, could be wasting an average 132 per household by sticking with their existing home insurance provider instead of shopping around for a better deal 7. Devote a day switching to a cheaper phone/internet/utilities provider. Look on or 8. Learn how to use Skype and instant message to save on phone bills. 9. Sell stuff you don t need any more for free on local classified ad sites such as Gumtree or on free insertion days on ebay (though you pay when you sell the item). You can sell on that old desk or artwork for up to 6,000 without triggering any capital gains tax. 10. Swap unwanted items with others on Free-cycle, where people give away their old things. Go to uk.freecycle.org 11. Find the cheapest petrol prices in your area by typing your postcode into Get the latest money-off vouchers at Find out about supermarket prices and offers at www. mysupermarket.com and

19 Get money-saving tips and advice at 1. If you have an empty spare room, you could rent it out for up to 4,250 a year, about 354 a month, and have no tax to pay on the rental income. Checking out one of the house share websites, such as will give you an idea of the going rate for rooms in your area and also how to market your room plus how it affects your insurance, mortgage, council tax etc. 2. You could work as a supporting artist (extra) for up to 150 a day. But you must be prepared to spend hours waiting on set or location until you are needed for shots. Go to org. for more information on getting started and finding an agency. 3. Try market research where you can earn by telling research companies what you think. Go to to find out more. Also, Yougov.com pays you 1 when you register and then tops up your account intermittently. When you hit 50, you will receive a cheque in the post. 4. If you do end up out of work, there are more opportunities than ever to start a business as a consultant, find flexible parttime work, or set up an online business. Do your research and get creative

20 4. Diet Diet is an important factor that can determine whether or not you get a good nights sleep, and often sleep problems can be eliminated by simple dietary changes. Many of the sleeping medications that are available come with poor results and significant risks, some of which were only recently identified, so changes to your diet are a simpler and less invasive alternative. The notion that certain foods may induce restful sleep has been accepted for many generations. Often we ve heard that a cup of hot milk may help, which surprisingly has some merit. It has only been in the past ten years that a determination of which foods and most importantly, which combination of foods has been proven to be efficacious in the treatment of chronic insomnia. What promotes good sleep? There are three substances that are key to understanding how nutrition can affect the brain chemistry that promotes good sleep: Tryptophan, Serotonin, and Melatonin What is tryptophan? All protein foods are composed of amino acids and tryptophan is one of them. It is the rarest of the amino acids, and is found in foods like turkey, steak, chicken and pumpkinseeds, and to a lesser extent in peanuts, sunflower seeds, beans and milk. Tryptophan is important because when it reaches the brain, it converts to an important chemical called serotonin

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